Former Miss Delaware Sues for $3 Million – Wants to Compete in Miss America Pageant

The former Miss Delaware Amanda Longacre, who was disqualified for being too old, will reportedly sue the organizers. The $3 million lawsuit also demands that she be allowed to compete in the upcoming Miss America pageant.

Amanda Longacre turned 25 in Oct 2014. According to the regulations of the organizers of the beauty pageant contestants who are 25 by Dec 2014 are not eligible to compete. According to a report by Delaware Online she will now be suing the state and national organizers of the pageant.

According to the lawsuit the organizers deliberately allow the recruitment of ineligible contestants to increase the pool of participants and allow them to participate in fundraising events for the organizers. These contestants are later disqualified.

Amanda Longacre was reportedly pursuing her master's degree at the University of Pennsylvania. The commitment to the Miss Delaware pageant reportedly made her lose a year at the university and end her internship programs. She also reportedly spent more than $4,500 preparing for the pageant.

The Miss Delaware crown now belongs to Brittany Lewis, who was the runner up. She is the daughter of Chef Willie Lewis and her mother is a retired medical administrator. She will be the one contesting in the Miss America pageant in Sept 2014.

Lewis earned her bachelor's from Temple University, Philadelphia and her master's in education from Wilmington University. She worked for two years in the Teach for America program and is currently working as seventh-grade teacher at Prestige Academy Charter School in Wilmington.

The Miss America pageant tickets are now available for purchase. A total of 53 contestants will compete for the crown. The categories for the competition include lifestyle, fitness in swimsuit, evening wear, talent and on-stage question.

The organizers of Miss America pageant have reportedly promised to give Longacre all the scholarships she was entitled to after she shared her experience with the media. The organizers will however be fighting her lawsuit.

According to her lawyer, Mark Billion of Wilmington, the organizers of the pageant did not respond even after repeated attempts to reach them. According to the lawsuit one of the organizers reportedly wanted to compensate Longacre after losing her crown by hosting a "wine and cheese pajama party."